The Mondi Group has opened its first recycling laboratory. In future, the recyclability of paper and paper-based packaging will be analysed at the Frantschach plant in Austria.
Carrying out the recycling tests in-house should speed up the development process for sustainable packaging solutions.
Whilst paper packaging offers many sustainability benefits, it also has certain limitations in terms of its barrier function for products such as perishable foods. To improve functionality, non-paper components such as barrier coatings may need to be added, which in turn can impact recyclability.
The data collected in the laboratory can be used to improve existing products and provide reliable information on their environmental impact.
Mondi will also use the results to determine how new packaging should be designed, developed and improved, and how best to keep materials in circulation, with a focus on the circular economy of paper and paper-based packaging.
The tests are carried out on various paper and paper-based packaging products developed by Mondi and can determine whether the packaging can be recycled efficiently. The laboratory works in a similar way to industrial recycling plants, but on a smaller scale. The results obtained provide concrete indications of the recyclability of the material.
Source: Mondi Group
